


The Middle of All Irrelevance

by mizufallsfromkumo



Series: Gravity [7]
Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Dick Grayson, Dick Grayson is Nightwing, Gen, Healing, Human Experimentation, Hurt Dick Grayson, Injury Recovery, Medical Experimentation, Past Abuse, Past Drug Use, Past Torture, Past Violence, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Recovery, Secrets, Sneaking Around, Sneaking Out, Superpowers, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-20 21:37:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16563584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizufallsfromkumo/pseuds/mizufallsfromkumo
Summary: “Hey Dick,”  Wally grinned out easily.  Almost seeming to vibrated with excitement at seeing Dick again.  But there is still an unsure awkwardness to him as he stood there.  Carefully looking the younger teen over, and hanging back just a fraction of an inch.   “You look good...betterthan you know, last time.  Nice...uh, man-bun you have there.”“You want to come at me with a pair of scissors?”  Dick returned with a frown and a raised brow behind his glasses.Wally paled quickly at the words.  His eyes widening to an almost comical way.





	The Middle of All Irrelevance

**Author's Note:**

> Oh sorry for the super long gap between posting for this series. You all can blame general lack of motivation and falling into the Voltron fandom a bit. I started this in like April and then it just sat in my WIPs until last week when I finished it. I really just needed to push my stuff to get it done.
> 
> That being said, updates might get a little slower for this series. Hopefully not as the long gap it just went through. But I do tend to struggle to write for two fandoms. Don't ask me why, that's just the way it is.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy after such a long delay.
> 
> As always, not super into the comics, so if any characterization is off I apologize.

_ Ba-thump, ba-thump, thap. _

Dick iditly twirled the stress ball in his hand.  His fingers tingling as he played with the gravity affectinging it minorly.  Before he threw it back at the ground, and watching it bounce hard enough to hit against the room’s cabinets before pulling it back to his hand.

He swung his feet over the edge of the examination table.  Humming some pop song he doesn’t really remember hearing anywhere.  Not that that ultimately mattered to him.

The acrobat sighed to himself slightly as he caught the stress ball again.  Squeezing it slightly before throwing it down again. Watching it bounce, pulling it back to himself at twice the normal effect of gravity.  Then repeating the process.

_ Ba-thump, ba-thump, thap. _

The repetitive sound of the ball was helping him relax a little.  Soothing him with a easy pattern of sound, that it really shouldn’t have.  The stress ball didn’t really have the bounce the for floor to cabinet, to hand path it was repeatedly taking.  Not without Dick’s powers assisting it.

But it was good constant exercises of his powers.

Minor and invasive toward objects outside of his body.  The tingle of his powers flowing naturally through his arm.  And if anyone saw him doing it, they could probably just assume he was slinging the stress ball at the ground. If they didn’t look hard enough that was.

Practicing with his powers was something that has hard to do at the manor.  

Not when Bruce had cameras in mostly public rooms of the manor.  

Dick counted himself lucky his acrobatic abilities made it easy to hide his new abilities in terms of jumping and falling through the air slower.  But other than that, there wasn’t much he felt he could practice. 

Especially with Bruce ‘the All Seeing Bat’ Wayne watching him slowly.

Sparing presented some opporuntinies, but now many.  Nothing he could already do before everything happened with the Light.  And practicing with a punching bag was the same. Sneaking around the manor and the cave allowed for more.  Light steps were a lot easily when he weighed like ten pounds.

Unless the teen was alone in the room with the door locked, he could really practice his control.  And even then he had to be careful the effects didn’t leak out beyond the walls of his room. Because honestly the last thing Dick needed to do was make the seating room furniture fly up to the ceiling.  

No one would probably think it was Dick to cause such a thing.  Why would they, Dick didn’t have powers to begin with. But it would surely cause Bruce to try and figure out what caused it.  And the last thing Dick needed was a Green Lantern ring picking up a gravitational disturbance or something around him and telling Bruce.  

Even though Dick was eighty-five percent sure he could pursue Gordon into  _ not _ telling Bruce about it.  However he wasn’t willing to chance it any which way. 

Dick signed to himself again as he threw the ball again.

_ Ba-thump, ba-thump, thap. _

It was also distracting Dick from the feel of Bruce on the other side wall.

Grumpily keeping to the back room of the Leslie's clinic. Waiting for Dick’s check up with Dr. Leslie to be done, so they could head home.  Where he would then drop Dick back off before going out again to assist Robin and Batgirl with patrol.

Dick had asked for Bruce to wait outside, as he had the first time Leslie had seen him.  And Bruce had agreed to stayed behind easily enough. 

Honestly, it was a little staggering how easy Bruce agreed to.

But not overly so.  

Bruce had already, not doubt, likely seen Dick extensive injuries from his missing time when they found him passed out in Mount Justice.  He had assessed them and deduced possible causes for them already. He might not have guessed the right ones, but he wasn’t going to get in the way of Dick not being honest with Leslie.  

Not to mention it was an easy way to rebuild trust between him and Dick.

_ Ba-thump, ba-thump, thap. _

_ Ba-thump, ba-thump, thap. _

_ Ba-thump, ba-thump, thap. _

He needed to think about a way to explain why his ribs weren’t broken any more.

Dick knew they had healed fully a little under a week ago. 

The bruising was still fading, yellow and greenish and terrible looking.  Aching to a pressured touch or hit. Which helped not raise any eyebrows at something being amiss when Alfred pressed to check.

But his bones were healed.  

And bruising wasn’t going to hide it from the x-rays Leslie took.

Dick’s new abilities had the beneficial side effect of making him heal faster.  

Or more  _ specifically _ , just his bones.

Something, he can loosely link a disembodied voice attributing to the fact that his body doesn’t break when using his powers on his person.  Especially when he slammed into something at a rate that should have easily killed him, and just walking away like nothing happened. Not even a the slightest of bruises.

The acrobat shuttered at a memory of the week the Light had put Dick’s healing factor to the test.  The general glee on Slade’s face when he was giving the clear to really give Dick injuries beyond bruises.  

Panic started to form in his throat.  The tingling in his body stirring in response to it.

Dick quickly shoved away the memories as best he could.  Focusing on the constant sound of the stress ball bouncing in the room.  The feel of it moving to the ground, the cabinet, then the pull to his hand.  And the steady feel of Bruce standing around. And Leslie moving around in the clinic.  The batmobile parked in the shadows of the alley behind the clinic.

Slowly the panic faded away.

_ Ba-thump, ba-thump, thap. _

_ Ba-thump, ba-thump, thap. _

_ Ba-thump, ba-thump, thap. _

The door to the examination room Dick was in opened.

Dick easily tossed the stress ball between his hands, the tingling in his hand fading away with ease, as Dr. Leslie entered.  Her focus more on the developed x-rays in her hands that what Dick was actually doing. 

Not that she would if she was looking at him.

He watched her make her way over to the light board in the room.  Holding the film up to the fluorescent lights before clipping the film to the board as she flicked on to look at the x-rays.  Carefulling examining it like her eyes were deceiving her, or she missed something that  _ should  _ be there.

“You’re ribs are healed.”  Leslie comment oddly as she turned back to Dick.

Dick leaned carefully off the examine table.  Like he was curiously trying to see what she was looking at.  “And that’s a...bad thing?”

“No,”  Leslie huffed as she rolled her eyes and turned to walked towards Dick. “It’s great really.  You’re clear to go back to nightly job. Nothing is physically wrong with you. It’s just...”  She sighed suddenly as she trailed off, glancing back at the x-rays on the board. “You’re bones are completely healed, Dick.”

“Well I listened to you.”  Dick returned with a growing grin on his face.

Leslie hummed as she glanced back at Dick from the corner of her eyes.  “They’re  _ completely _ healed, and it was like they were never broken... _ ever. _ ”

Dick felt his blood run cold at the words.

Okay, he didn’t know... _ that. _

He thought his bones healed quickly.  Not that they healed exactly perfectly so it was like it never happened. But then again he was a pretty hazy exhausted mess when that fun fact could have come up in his capture to register it.  Or retain any memory of it if he did.

Dick had broken more than a few bones to know there is always something to tell where the break was.  Leslie knew that too. She had put more than few broken fingers in stents, and x-rayed his ribs more times than Dick could count on two hands over the years.  

She had records of where all his breaks were.  Document x-rays of them broken and healed. She knew where they all should be.

“Must be that new multivitamin and calcium regimen Alfred has me on.”  Dick stated easily after the moment with a shrug.

It’s complete bullshit.

Dick knows Leslie will know that.  

But if he smiled innocently enough and acted just confused and surprised as her, nothing would come of it.  Because Dr. Leslie had no reason to think Dick might know why that was happening. Or that he’d be hiding something he didn’t seem to understand behind a lie.

“Doubt that,”  Leslie returned with a slight sharpness in her tone.  Dick frowned slightly at the words. “It’s more like medical miracle,and I am not going to exactly question or try to wrap my head around at the time of night.  So lets just tell Bruce and get the two of you out of my hair.”

Dick grinned widely as he slid off the table.

To his luck, Leslie doesn’t tell Bruce too much, and Bruce doesn’t ask.

* * *

“Shit!”  

Dick flinched at the sharp burning pain that radiated from the back of his skull through his whole head.  Instantly reaching up to grab his head in a weak attempt to sooth the pain that never worked. While also trying to balance himself, so he didn’t fall onto the floor or hit his head on the desk in surprised.

The pain vanished almost instantly.

He sharply inhaled in relief at the feeling.

Looking up sharply to glare at the small broken device he took from Slade sitting on his desk.  More specifically the two wires that were standing tall in the air.

He had peered the top part of casing away, and pieced together most of the interior to get the device mostly working again.  

It wasn’t an overly complicated mechanism in reality.  Nothing more than a simply transmitter of a single signal.  With a small dial that controlled the very strength and intensity of the signal.  Nothing Dick couldn’t build in a few hours if he had all the right parts and systems.  Maybe a day if he was sort of Frankensteining something together.

The complex part was implanted at the base of his skull.

Dick groaned slightly as he rubbed a lingering ache out of his temple.

What part of him thought it was a good idea to complete the circuit to the transmitters power source?  Probably the part the  _ thought _ he had redirected the part that actually transmitted the signal out to his laptop.  In an effort to get a read out on just what the device sent out. 

That was apparently not the case.

Evident by the sharp pain in his head at connecting the wires.  

Dick frowned at he glared at the device.  Reluctantly moving it closer to him so he find out where he went wrong.  He need to find out just want type of signal the device gave out and at what frequency.  So he can find a way to block so it didn’t affect him.

But so far he hadn’t had much luck.  

Other than accidentally sending pain shooting though his head on a few occasion. 

So yeah, it was not working out.  

Which was not great.  

Considering Dick would rather like to figure out a way to build a blocker into his developing Nightwing suit without Bruce knowing about it.  He just needed to figure out exactly what it was he needed to block out. Then how to exactly do it so it always worked. All so no one found about about it before he wanted them too.  And they wouldn’t think it would be a hindrance when they did.

Dick groaned as he buried his face in his hands.

He knew there was a quicker way for him to get answers.  

It was just getting it to that was... _ risky _ .  

But he knew it probably held more than enough for what he wanted,  _ needed _ , to know.  It was all just a matter of getting through most of it to make sense of things.  

There was just no guarantee that the info Dick needed currently was there, however.

Yet, if luck was suddenly looking up on him…

Well, maybe there would something.  Maybe not in complete detail, but something Dick could work with more than accidentally causing pain to course through his whole head. Or shocking himself like he did two times already in the last hour.  Which would honestly, be a  _ huge _ step up from where he was.

Suddenly there was a steady knock on the door, causing Dick to freeze.

“Young Master Dick, are you in there?  I do hope I haven’t startled you out of rest, but you’ve missed lunch.”  Alfred’s voice stated firmly through the door. “I do hope you are aware of that.”

The acrobat was not in fact...exactly aware of the fact.

Had he really been working for that long.  

Breakfast was only a couple of hours ago...right?

“Yup, totally, aware of that.”  Dick lied in a call from his spot at the desk.  “Give me a sec, I’ll be right there.”

Quickly shoved the device into on of his desk drawers, burying it under mess of other lose things and wires in the same drawer.  Closing the door as quickly and soundlessly as he opened it. He pulled up some schematics and designs for Nightwing, after closing out the program he was running to read the transmission signal.

He rose from his seat and walking over to the door of his room.  He flicked the lock back and twisted the nob. Pulling the door open to find the old butler standing there patiently with a tray in hand.

A simple lunch of a sandwich, with homemade crisps and two cookies rested on the tray.  A tall glass of the usual protein shake Alfred had him drinking for the past  _ month _ there was well.  Along with a clear glass of water.  Of course, not with a cup of tea steaming slightly as well.

“You brought lunch.”  Dick observed as he held the door open for lunch.

“Yes,”  Alfred stated easily with a soft hum.  An unsaid sarcastic remark of  _ how observant you are _ hung in the air behind him.  The teen couldn’t help but smile.  “I had on odd nagging feeling that a few of Master Bruce’s more  _ dedicated _ methods of working on something had more than rubbed off on you.”  Alfred continued, easily making his way to Dick’s desk to place the tray down carefully beside his computer.  “For lack of a more suitable word. Figured I would bring your lunch to you, rather than having it slip by you.”

“Thanks, Alf.”  Dick grinned out.  

“No problem at all Master Dick.”  Alfred nodded softly, side stepping out the way of the food.  But not making any move to actually leave Dick’s room. 

Something that did not go unnoticed by Dick.

After all, Alfred had taken to making sure the teen ate most of the food presented to him when he returned.  Which Dick had more than been doing for the start. Alfred was clearly not going to let Dick fall back into missing a meal here or there because he was working on something he felt was important.

“And what, may I ask, has you so busy you are forgetting lunch?”  Alfred asked when Dick returned to his desk and swallowed a bite of sandwich.  

Dick glanced at the screen of his laptop.

Knowing Alfred had already seen it and no doubt figured it out for himself when he placed the tray down.  He is simply making small talk like he always did to get either Bruce or him out of working too much. Something Dick knew was more effective on him than B any time.

“Nightwing stuff.”  Dick stated simply.

Which wasn’t a completely lie, and felt like a safe subject.

So he let the conversation flow.

* * *

“ **_Recognized: Kid Flash, B-03._ ** ” The computer system declared.

Dick glanced up from his phone as the golden light flared quickly through the cracks and opening of what looked like an old, forgotten phone booth.  

The disguised Zeta tube filling the shadowy alley way with light for a brief second.  Nothing that would catch anyone attention. The Zeta tubes were designed and hidden that way to insure that.  Dick knew that for a fact.

Yet he could still feel himself flattening himself to hide just in case.

After all it was his first time outside of Gotham, since returning to the Team.  

He knew a handful of Shadows would be out looking for them.  All of whom would likely not play with their food like Slade was so fond of doing.  They would all strike at the first opening they saw if they spotted him.

Dick couldn’t be  _ too _ careful.

Quickly, he shoved the tension away.  

Pushing himself up and off the wall parallel to the Zeta tube with ease.  Straightening up as the last of the light faded away and he turned down to look at his phone.  The acrobat quickly finish typing out a text to Alfred about Wally’s arrival and hitting send.

It was the “first” time Dick had been out of the manor.  

Or rather the first time someone would know where Dick was going to be outside of the manor.  And Alfred, bless his soul, had agreed not to tell Bruce, if Dick agreed to keeping him informed about his whereabouts.  Which honestly was a small price to pay for something that wouldn’t hopefully take too long.

And Dick wasn’t too worried about Bruce finding out.  

He would much rather ask forgiveness, than trying to get permission. 

Because he was pretty sure Bruce would wiggle in some way to figure out what Dick was doing.

Easily, Dick shoved his phone in the back pocket of his jeans, and shoved his hands in the pockets of his jacket, as the phone booth door opened.  

Wally scrambled out of the Zeta tube with a wide grin.  Dressed in his usual style of civies...save the Stanford University shirt he was wearing.  Red hair in the usual windswept manner it always was in. The speedster closed door behind him, and closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye.

“Hey Dick,”  Wally grinned out easily.  Almost seeming to vibrated with excitement at seeing Dick again.  But there is still an unsure awkwardness to him as he stood there.  Carefully looking the younger teen over, and hanging back just a fraction of an inch.   “You look good... _ better _ than you know, last time.  Nice...uh, man-bun you have there.”

“You want to come at me with a pair of scissors?”  Dick returned with a frown and a raised brow behind his glasses.

Wally paled quickly at the words.  His eyes widening to an almost comical way.  

“No, I wasn’t trying…”  Wally started hurriedly.  Trailing off sharply as he tried to figure out what just what exactly he wanted to say.  

Dick snorted suddenly, before laughing. 

“Relax, Wals, it’s fine.”  Dick said, punching Wally in the shoulder lightly.  “I’m totally messing with you. I haven’t gotten around to getting a haircut yet.”  

Mostly because he’s afraid of flashing back to something and his powers rushing to his aid in the panic.  Alfred had offered more than a few times to just trim Dick’s hair to something more manageable. But Dick refused out right each time.

That being said it was kind of growing him just a little bit.

Even though part of him didn’t really want the  _ length. _

Dick reached out and easily hooked an arm around Wally’s neck as he visibly relaxed at the words.  Something easily done since Dick was nearly the same height as the speedster. The younger teen pulled Wally in close, and wrapped his other arm around him in a hug.

“It’s good to see you again man.”  Dick smiled out.

“Yeah, you too.”  Wally returned, suddenly returning the hug quickly, and tightly.

Dick doesn’t exactly blame him for doing so.  

Since Dick had returned Wally had made a point of trying to contact him every night, just to see how he was.  Either a call or text, whatever he could really manage. Dick didn’t really return many of them. And the ones he did were nothing more than simply status updates about being cleared to do something, or a vague statement on his progress.  Nothing that gave away too much.

“ **_Recognized: Red Arrow, 21_ ** ” The computer declared suddenly with another flash of gold light.

Dick stiffened at the sound.

Wally seemed to feel it instantly, and pulled back.  The expression on his face was the same nervous one he got when he did something he shouldn’t.  Or trying to cover up something bad. Like going on a mission they weren’t given, freeing a clone of a League member, and causing a building to collapse.  Or accidentally breaking one of Artemis’ trick arrows and shocking himself.

“You promised not to say anything.”  Dick hissed sharply.

Because Wally had totally agreed not to tell anyone when Dick called and asked him to meet him somewhere.  He was hesitant about doing so at first, for a handful of reasons. One being Dick was still freshly back and recovering.  Then suddenly asking him to sneak around or something he wasn’t giving him details on.

Dick had figured Wally might tell Artemis.  

As the two were dating, and it was likely to come up one way or the other between them.  

Artemis wasn’t a terrible tag along addition for what Dick needed, if she decided to tag along with Wally.  Or rather she stubbornly didn’t let Wally talk her out of coming alone. She wouldn’t press for too much and go along with whatever Dick was doing with little question.  As Dick has run secret little missions under Batman’s nose before. 

Not to mention she’s sniff out a threat sooner than Wally probably would.

However, Dick didn’t account for Roy.

Even though Roy was logically his second choice to ask to tag along after Wally.

“Yeah, I know I did, mostly for the Big Bad B-man.”  Wally said hurriedly as he swallowed. Wally glanced back at the booth as the light faded, and the door opened to reveal Roy in sunglasses and civies as well  “And I didn’t tell  _ anyone _ , I swear.  Roy was there when you called.  Right, Roy?”

_ Liar _ , Dick thought sourly as he glared at Wally before turning to look at Roy.

The older man started at them flatly for a moment.  A frown set on his lips as he only moved to close the phone booth door.  But Dick could tell he was easily looking between the younger two. 

Before Dick could feel his gaze zero in on him.

Dick can’t help but weakly smile at the older archer.

He knew he was angry with him.  Someone, likely Green Arrow or Black Canary, had to have told him Dick was in Star City trying to find him before...well he was found a bloody mess on the floor.  And well, it was not much a guess to assume how much that angered the older man.

“You’re an idiot, Grayson.”  Was all Roy said with a huff.

“Thanks, Roy,”  Dick said cheerily in reply.

Roy huffed again as he walked closer to them, crossing his arms and frowning as he stood beside Wally.   

Dick let a sense of relief wash over him.  Alright, no angry Roy chew out today. Which was very nice to know.  Because, while Dick was sure he could handle it, as it wasn’t something anyone hadn’t snapped at him in the last few weeks.  It was nice to not have to deal with at all before leading Wally and Roy along with vagueness.

Not to mention Roy was a good addition as well.

Wally seemed to relax when he realized Dick wasn’t mad at him any more.  And Roy wasn’t going to bite Dick’s head off. “So, where are we going and what are we doing?”  Wally asked with a wide grin.

* * *

“This is it.”  Dick declared as he lead the way towards down the sidewalk.  “This is the right place.”

“Are you sure?”  Roy asked in a questioning growl.  Dick doesn’t even have to look back to know the oldest of them was frowning at him.  He could just feel it. “You said that about the last  _ three _ bus stations we went too.”

“Not that you’re counting.”  Wally snapped quickly behind him.  The speedster breathfully laughed, covering the small sound Roy made as Wally shoved him harshly.  “Right, Roy?”

Roy grumbled and mumbled in reply.

Dick glanced back to glare at the two behind him.  Though it’s mostly hidden by his dark sunglasses, he knew they still see.  Roy moved his head to make a show out of rolling his eyes, at Dick. While Wally grinned easily like he had shoved Roy...or was thinking the exactly same thing as him.

“Yes, I am sure, guys.”  Dick stated sharply. 

“And I believe you bud.”  Wally affirmed easily, placing a hand over his heart like it proved his faith.  Only to then quickly move to fall in step beside Dick. Carefully looping an arm around the acrobat’s shoulders to pull him close as they watch.  “It’s just…” Wally trailed off, like he could find the write words.

_ You don’t really forget where you hide important things _ , was left to hang in the air unsaid.

Which was true.  

It was very unlike him to hide something important and not remember where  _ in detail _ where it was.  Especially something for a mission or a case.  No, he always knew where to go when he could retrieve it.  Or tell someone where to go if for some reason he couldn’t in a time sensitive manner.

Dick knew the two were concerned about him. Not just because he couldn’t remember where to go.  But rather the whole situation surround it. Dick’s disappearance and sudden return with frayed panicked edges.  There was a reason for Dick’s slight memory laps taking them to four Central City bus stations. And they didn’t know what it was.

“Look I’ll admit,”  Dick started with a heavy huff.  “last time I was here it was very late and dark  I was a little pressed for time...” 

And very  _ out _ of it.

Lost in a whole mess of exhaustion, adrenaline, pain, and some lingering withdraw.  

Honestly if he told anyone that they would probably think it was a miracle he  _ could  _ remember it.  But he had enough mental clarity and general amounts of his usual stubbornness, and perhaps a little spit, to do so.

To force himself to remember: Central City, Bus Station, Locker 57.

It was just finding the right one that was issue.  

Because after he hide the keys as made a point of remembering where that was, he blacked out.  Blacked out and woke up in a field just outside the city of Phoenix, Arizona. Knowing it was a day later.

“Didn’t really get a street address.”  Dick continued, turning to glance back a Roy a few steps behind him and Wally.  Moving his arms to point to his right. “But I remember that broken broken lion statue.”

Mostly because he was the one that broke it.

The head crumpled in his hand when he stopped for a moment to catch his breath and not throw up from the pain, exhaustion, and the ever so fun effect of drug withdrawal.  

His frustrations and anger with Bruce giving the role of Robin to someone else lingering in his head.  That and his panic that the Light would find and subdue him barely a week into tasting freedom again. It raced through his veins.  Had his powers tingling and fluctuating all over the place. 

“See,”  Wally declared as they stopped walking.  “Fourth time's the charm.”

“If you say so, West.”  Roy grumbled. He crossed his arms as he stopped next to Dick.  The archer turning to look at him with his usual frown. “Alright, we found the right place, now what?”

“Now I get the keys.”  Dick stated easily.

He moved before they could say anything in return.  

Springing on to the brick barrier of a the raised garden.  Running along the edge easily, and cartwheeling into a backhandspring.  Using the collected momentum, and a little bit of his gravity manipulation to jumped towards the bus station roof.  Fingers catching the edge just so, as he braced a foot against the wall. 

Before pulling himself up onto the roof with a small huff.

To any watching it would look like he so some flashy parkour. 

To Wally and Roy, it was nothing they hadn’t seen Robin to already hundreds of feet in the air.

Dick turned around, wide grin on his face.  Finding the two of them staring up at him surprised.  

Or Wally more so than Roy, who seemed to sigh at the sudden action.  Wally turned sharply at something the archer said, and his surprise washed away.  Dick didn’t need to superhearing to know Roy said something along the lines of ‘of course, he hide them on the roof’.  The two falling into a conversation as they looked back up at Dick.

But they don’t follow.

Dick turned with a roll of his eyes as them.  

His focus on retrieving the keys quickly.  The sooner he got them, the sooner he could get off the roof, where a searching Shadow could find him.  The sooner he could get what he came from and go back to Gotham.

Where the only threat he has to worry about is Slade.

The acrobat made his way along the rooftop.  Quickly walking over to the large light up letters of Bus Station.  Carefully stepping over the ledge and onto the small concrete overhang they were hung from.

He made his way over to the ‘A’ of station.  Slipping his hands through the support brackets and thick clumsy wiring of the structure behind it.  The bird huddled in the opening of the ‘O’ coed dangerously at his closeness to their next. 

Dick paid it no mind as he dug out the key.

Quickly tucking the ring of keys into his pocket, Dick hurried off the overhang.

He stepped onto the ledge of the roof, before running towards the side he climbed up on.  This time, jumping towards the nearby street light. Spinning this his moment, before letting go to flip back to the ground and bow.

Wally jogged forward with a wide grin on his face. Instantly comments about how ‘cool’ it looked.  Even though Wally had seen Dick do things way more awe inspiring that jumping off a single story building.  

Roy following behind him at a much leisurely place.  Crossed arms and usually look of serious annoyance on his face as he approached them.  Acting like the whole thing is juvenile, but he glared sharply at a woman, who probably said something in passing by him.  He grumbled as he stopped before them.

“Alright, are you done showing off now.”  Roy grumbled as he stopped in front of them.

“Yeah, yeah.”  Dick said with a wave of his hand.  “Come on let’s get this over with.”

The two nodded in agreement at Dick’s words.  Falling into step on each side of Dick as he turned to enter the bus station.

The station wasn’t much.  A line of ticket booths for tickets outside of Central City.  A small little kiosk full of brochures attractions in the city and restaurant deals.  Most of the front was a large seating area. With rows and rows of seating like an airport terminal.

And it was far busier than when Dick was here last.

But then again, it wasn’t the dead of night.

There was more than enough people to provide cover for a getaway in a pinch.  But not a small enough amount for Dick not to visibly start looking around for a possible Shadow.  Even though it was the last place they would look for me...like  _ ever _ .  

After all Dick had taken to hiding in abandoned buildings, or shelters.  He hadn’t gone to any times of transport stations. Mostly because he didn’t have the money to afford a ticket to  _ anywhere _ .  Nor could he could through any security without actual an ID of some kind.  And revealing himself to any type of authority personal would have had him snatched up in no time from him to even want to  _ try. _

He’s only use high populated areas to slip away and disappear.  Before he would slip back out to less populated trails. 

Because it was just as easy for a Shadow to do the same to find him.

Dick quickly made his way over to the corner filled with bus lockers.  Ducking his face as he moved towards them. He could hear Wally scramble slightly as he did so.  The speedster hurriedly trying to keep in step with him, with a small call of ‘Hey, dude!’

At least Roy seemed to roll with it more.

Locker 57 was in the bottom row of lockers on bus lockers and near the break into smaller lockers.  The locker itself wasn’t huge, barely big enough to hold most travel luggage. Nothing more than a backpack or small overnight bag at the most.

And to Dick’s relief, he could feel the bulky contents of the locker still inside.  

Which was nice, considering it had probably been about four months since he was last there.  Concerning in the fact that someone could leave their things there forever and it never be cleaned out.  But not a bad thing, or something he was going to grip about in his current situation.

Dick dropped down to his knees, fluidly pulling the key from his pocket, and quickly put it in the lock. 

Twisting it open.

The tingling of his powers hummed under his skin, as he pressed down on the small release lever he cobbled together.  A safeguard against anyone else opening the locker but  _ him _ .  Nothing that would harm anyone beyond an electric stock if they touched the locker handle, for as long as the tazer battery would last.

Quickly Dick pulled the locker open slightly.  

Just enough to reach in and disarm the taser he placed inside.  And nowhere near enough for Roy or Wally to see what he was doing.  But he also didn’t doubt that they had some idea of what he was doing. 

Yanking away the wires from the mental of the locker Dick quickly collected the tazer.  Shoving it away inside the small backpack hanging from the hook as he opened the locker more fully to untangle the string.  He could he Roy huff above him as he leaned into the lockers beside Dick.

“Paranoid much?”  Roy asked lightly.

“You have meet me, correct?”  Dick returned slyly as he peeked up at Roy form behind is glasses.  The older just frowned. “You know who I’ve worked with. Paranoid  _ comes _ with the territory.”

Roy huffed again above him.

Dick paid him little mind as he pulled the backpack out slightly.  Keeping it open just enough to shove his hand inside to feel around.  Everything was too closer together and wrapped around each other to for Dick to make anything out at quick feel with his powers.  It all was a completely blob of gravity interacting for him to see at a glance. So he felt around with his hand.

Once he was satisfied that everything was still  _ there _ .  Everything, including the one thing he came for, still bundled up tight.   Dick relaxed slightly at the cool metal feel of it. Before he quickly pulled his hand out and zipped up the back. 

“Alright that it.”  Dick stated as he flung the bag over his shoulder and yanked the key out of the lock.

Dick bounced up to his feet with a wide grin on his lips.  He softly kicked the door closed as he carefully adjusted the bag on his shoulder one last time.  He glanced at Wally and Roy, ignoring their quizative looks at him. Before he turned on his heels and reached for his wallet in his back pocket.

“All the secrecy for just..a bag?”  Wally asked as he feel in step beside the acrobat.

“More for what is in the bag, Wals.”  Dick turned smartly.

“Don’t be smart with Wally,”  Roy uttered slightly teasingly behind Dick.  The younger turned back to see a cocky grin on the oldests lips.  “I don’t think his brain can handle it very well.”

“Hey!”  Wally snapped.

But it was mostly drowned out by Dick’s laughter as he continued to make his way to the pay booth for the lockers.

“He shouldn’t make it so easy then.”  Dick huffed.

The acrobat lazily tossed the key and a hundred on the counter.  Knowing it would more than cover the cost of the locker rental fees for the time he used it.  And he wasn’t concerned about getting his change much either. Now that he had what he came for, Dick’s main focus was get get back to Gotham and the manor as quick as he could.  He barely looked at the working clerk as he did so.

Yet as he turned…

“No way, it’s you again.”  A voice suddenly declared excitedly.  “It’s actually you again. Locker 57. You’ve returned.”

Dick’s blood ran cold.

The tingling of his powers flared up in the back of his neck as he froze.  

_ Damn _ , just when things were starting to seem like they were working in Dick’s favor.  When things were actually going smoothly. Of course there had to be someone that recognized him from that night.

Dick turned back around slowly to see the vaguely familiar face of the clerk behind the desk.  They’re face bright like they remembered Dick in every bit of detail from that night. Where is Dick is pretty sure he looked half horrified by the sight of him.  Or at least wide eyed, even behind the lenses of his glasses.

But,  _ of course,  _ it had too that was the clerk that was there that night.

The one Dick saved and interacted with that evening something of an indifferent, annoyed daze.  The one that saw mostly everything he did that night. He was the one that gave him the locker key.  And let him fish some cloths out of the lost and found when Dick asked.

The exactly  _ last _ person Dick wanted to be there.

Both Wally’s and Roy’s attention turned to the man.

Completely with expressions and sounds Dick did not one them to be doing.

They stumbled across something about Dick’s time away.  Something other than what he’s told them. And they would see were going to see where it lead.

Dick need to shut whatever was happening down...and shut it down fast.

“You look a hell of a lot better dude.”  The clerk stated gleefully as Dick continued to stare at him.  “To be fair though, I don’t think it was hard with how messed up y--”

“I think you have the wrong person.”  Dick stated as he turned around

The clerk’s face morphed into a look of confusion.  His brows pulling together, as he tilted his head slightly for a better look.  Like he half believed Dick’s own words and there was no way he could mistake Dick for anyone else.

“No, I’m pretty sure--”

“I’ve never seen you before.” Dick declared.  Keeping his voice as neutral and confused as how the other looked.  However his expression was hard and demanding that the man just drop everything he was saying.  “You must have me mistaken with someone else. I’m not who you think I am. So...ugh...just keep the change.”  

With that Dick turned and walked away.

Brushing past Roy and Wally as he made his way towards the door.  He adjusted the bag on his shoulder was he walked away. He had what he came for, he needed to get back to the manor to go through it all.  And think up some sizeable excuse for when Wally and/or Roy came asking about what happened.

“Hey, dude, wait up!”  Wally’s voice called behind Dick suddenly.

The acrobat felt himself relax as he heard the speedster weave through the crowd.  Because it meant he didn’t stay around to pry. Ramming into Dick a bit roughly as he looked an arm around the younger’s neck.  His usual wide grin on his face as he pulled Dick against him.

“Yeah, I though Alfred taught you manners.”  Roy grumbled a distances behind the two. “It’s considered rude to ditch your friends.”

“Rude, yeah, sorry.”  Dick agreed. “Won’t happen again on the trip.”

Part of him knew they would come back here.  Or they would hunt down the clerk and ask him what they wanted to.  Dig for any little bit about what happened with Dick. Which really wouldn’t be more than he showed up in the middle of the robbery and stopped it.  Then of course demanded all evidence that he was there being erased before the cops were called thirty minutes  _ after _ the acrobat left.

It was inevitable.

But that wasn’t Dick’s current problem to worry about.

* * *

“Ah, Master Dick, I’ve see you’ve returned as you said you would.”  Alfred stated as he spotted Dick climbing through a window of the second story Library.

Mostly because Jason was in the one downstairs studying or something.  Dick just walking through the doors of that one would raise an eyebrow.  Especially considering he had a backpack over his shoulder and a pretty nondescript outfit and sunglasses.  Jason was a smart kid, he’d know Dick left the manor to go run off and do something.

And Dick didn’t trust him  _ not _ to say something to Bruce.

Even though Dick was ninety percent sure, Bruce was going to find out about his little venture one way or another.  It was only a matter of time before he brought it up. He would rather not be tattled on by Boy Wonder Number 2 though.

“Of course I am Alfred.”  Dick smiled out as he moved to close the window.  “I would never lie to you about that.”

“I take it you venture was a success.”  The Englishman stated as he turned back to the shelves he was dusting.

“Very.”  Dick returned lightly as he made his way out of the room.

The acrobat quickly made his way to his room.  Flinging the backpack towards his bed as he moved to closer the door.  He used his powers to catch the bag catch the back in mid-air before it could land on the bed. Ridding it gravity’s pull on it, as he turned around lock the door.

Dick relaxed once the lock was in place.  

Before turning sharply to look back at the bag.

He walked towards his bed, slowly lowering the backpack down to the bed.  Taking a deep breath before he practically tore the zipper open. Reaching his hand in to fish out the object he was looking for inside.

He pulled out the large mess of cloth.  The ‘jumpsuit’ he had been forced to wear in his time with the light.  Without hesitating, he worked at unraveling the bunched up mess of he outfit.  Cursing himself slightly for just bunching it all in the bag.

However, something rectangular and metal fell out.

The hard drive he took when he managed to escape.

Yanked it out of the one of the servers in the place where they kept him.  He wasn’t about to let the Light just keep all their data on him. But he wasn’t going to destroy all of it when it might be useful in the future.

As it was the one thing that could possible hold everything he needs to understand what happened better.

Dick reached down to pick it up off the bed.

Examining the drive closely for any damage with a small smile.

_ A lot more successful than one would think. _

**Author's Note:**

> I will admit I am not the happiest with the ending. But I was in a way just trying to get it done so I could move on. And there was a huge gab of barely thinking about this series in general. So things are probably a little off.
> 
> Really this fic is mostly a filler fic. The only bits of plot are Dick can go out fighting, and the hard drive from the locker, which spoiler alert hold a lot of important things in regard to Dick and his time with the Light. But that is about it.
> 
> Anyway, I've decided to give Dick some additional benefits to his powers, that I think make sense to just go with Gravity Manipulation. Like quick healing bones. It's not as fast as a Speeders, but it is a significant less amount of time than a normal person, and it heals perfectly. But it is just Dick's bones that do this, other injuries take a normal amount of time to heal, which kind of makes hiding the bone things easier. And as long as he uses his powers, he can fall or land from any height and not hurt his body. In my head it as something to an actual bodily change at him using powers on himself, but there is no fictional science to it the idea.
> 
> There is not much Bruce in the fic, so Dick and him haven't resolved any of their issues. Bruce is still trying to give Dick some space, and Dick is taking as much of it as he can. But In the next fic, one or two things might come up, but really they don't have a talk about anything until like Part 9 of this series.
> 
> As for the random clerk that recognized Dick, they are semi important. Mostly in the fact that meet Dick shortly after his escape, and during an attempted robbery. But this is in a way planned to be a future fic, as for what happened. Yet, for this fic, they are really nothing more than just noticing Dick, and a small window into what happened to him. Obviously, Wally and Roy track him down to ask, but that is not any sort of planned separate fic that is going to happen.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed.


End file.
